Improvement in wheel-harrows



W. E. MAIN. Wheel-Harrow.

No. 220,396. Patented Oct. 7,1879.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .H. MAIN, OF BOSCOBEL, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHEEL-HARROWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,396, dated October7, 1879; application filed June 24, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. MAIN, of Boscobel, in the county of Grantand State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in W heel-Harrows, of which the following is aspecification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the harrow. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe harrow proper, the seat being removed.

This invention relates to that class of harrows usually called Fwheel-harrows and it consists more particularly in such arrangement andattachment of levers that either part of the harrow can at will beraised above the ground or so lowered as to take the ground also, insuch construction as will keep the harrow from swinging sidewise andinterfering with the wheels also, in the use ofpush-braces in connectionwith the wheels and axles and their attachments, as well as with thetongue, and in so combining the several parts that the draft shall comeon the pointed end of each harrow; and in the general construction andcombination of all the parts, all as will now be more in detail set outand explained.

In the accompanying drawings, 'A denotes thewheels; B, the axle, towhich is secured the rear end of the tongue 0, and on which is alsofastened the rear end of theframeD,which frame is preferably of atriangular shape, the base at in front, over which the tongue passes,and on which it is also bolted. This part d, I denominate the push-bar.The harrows E E are so attached to the axle B and frame D that one ofthe wheels will run freely within the body or cut of each harrow, andalso so as to allow the utmost flexibility of the movement of saidharrows,-and to admit of their being raised and lowered. The manner ordetail of such attachment and operation will now be more particularlyexplained.

On the under side of the frame D, prefera bly to the push-bar d, as nowshown, is fixed the eyebolt d, which carries the bent end or angle ofthe forked iron rod f, the rear ends of 'said rod being hooked in eyes 0on either side tion to the rod 9. To the rearward-projecting angle ofthis rod the rear end of the harrow is hung by eye d.

The driver mounted on seat H, which is at tached to the tongue or axleby spring h in anyusual way, can operate at will the front or rearportion of each harrow by means of the handles or levers I and K. Theformer of these is pivoted to the rear end of the side bar of the frameD, one on each side of the driver, and each of the latter on either sideof the frame.

Near the lower end of the handle I is a link, 6, through which one sideof the bent iron rod 9 is passed, and by moving thelever I the rod g israised, and lifts with it the rear end of the harrow, which is securedto it in the manner above set forth. This lever can be held in adownward position by catching it under notch l of strap L, or by anyconvenient way or means.

The lever K can by means of the rod k, which connects its lower end tothe front portion of the harrow, be operated to raise or lower this partof the harrow. This lever can be held in a fixed downward position byengaging its side on the notch Z of the strap L. The said levers may beadjusted so as to lower the barrow wholly and levelly on the ground, orby raising the front end and lowering the rear, or vice versa. Eitherthe rear or front of the harrow may at will be made to clear the ground,and the teeth on the other portion to run in it. By said levers also theentire harrow may be raised above the ground when desired.

The traces are hitched to the draw-beam M, which is properly attached tothe front ends of the harrows.

Each harrow has sufficiently side-tilting mo tion on its supporting-rodsf and g. The harrow-teeth c are fixed in place in any usual way andmanner. The rods f help to hold up the tongue, and cause the pressure tocome lightly on the horses working the barrow. Said rods will also, bythe peculiar manner in which they are attached to the front part of thebarrows,

cause the harrow-teeth to press deeply into the ground, and in this waya light harrow will do the work of a heavyone, and in a measure theserods will act to balance the weight of the driver and the pressure onthe wheels, so as to prevent the wheels sinking too deep in the soil.The side part, g, of the bars 7, which extend from the ]'oint-eonnectionin front on the axle in a right line to the eye (1 on the harrow, servesto brace and hold the barrow so that it shall not rub against the wheelor get out of proper position. The rodsf and y will act in connectionwith bar d as push bars or braces.

As thus made and adapted for use the harrow is very strong. Either partor the whole can be easily and certainly worked at pleasure, so as to beraised above the ground or made to take the ground when and as desired.The harrows cannot swing sidewise out of place, and yet will have alwaysthe utmost flexibilityofproperworkingmotion. Thepnshbar on front of theframe will steady as well as carry the front portions of the harrows.The draft will come in line with the points of the harrow, and will thusserve to make the teeth do more effective work. The barrow cannot easilyget out of order, and can be read ily and cheaply repaired.

Having thus described my invention, what I consider new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wheel-barrow in which the wheel runs within the body or cut ofthe harrow, the combination of harrows E with frame I) and rods 0rbraces/and y, bent as shown, operl l i ated by levers or handles,substantiallyiu the manner described.

2. In a wheel-harrow, as described, the combination of frame 1), havingforward bar, d, and carrying forked rod f, with the movable harrows E,rod g g, adjusting-levers I and K, and rod 1;, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a wheel-harrow, as described, the combination of harrows E withwheels A and bar g, having a generally straight part, g, coming outsidethe wheel, and flexibly connecting the end of the axle with the rear endof the barrow at d, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a wheel-harrow, as described, the combination of the movableharrows E with bent bars f and g, the latter having a part, 9, nearlystraight and outside the wheels A, levers l and K, connecting-rod k,adjusting-strap L, frame I), having front bar, d, all adapted to operatesubstantially in the manner shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I atiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM II. M A IN.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. OSTRANDER, C. II. (oNTorL

